Whitetail Deer Nutrition and Habitat

1. Whitetail Deer Nutrition and Habitat Group 10

2. Forage Categories • Grasses and grass-like plants • Forbaceous plants • Weeds • Browse • Leaves and twigs of woody plants • Fruits of woody plants

3. Forage • Just because it’s green does not mean its good deer feed • Grasses such as coastal bermuda offer little nutrition to Whitetails • Grasses • High fiber content • Less digestible to deer

4. Forage • Only a small portion of the diet is grass • Grass intake occurs in early spring and late winter • New emerged or developed grass shoots are more digestible • Exceptions • Wheat, oats, rye, and ryegrass and other grain plants

5. Forage • In all areas deer prefer forbaceous plants (weeds) • Highly nutritious and easily digestible • Nutritional value depends on weather or environmental conditions • Weeds are usually high in protein • Up to 35% protein • High in phosphorous and some vitamins

6. Forage • Browse is the base in most deer diets • Includes the leaves and twigs of woody plants • Lower in quality than weeds but more dependable and available • Types of woody plants • Determinant • Indeterminate

7. Woody Plants • Determinant • Growth usually occurs in spring and fall • After original growth, young, tender shoots appear • Indeterminate • Growth is continuous • Usually affected by rainfall • New growth after rain period

8. Nutrition • Mast – hard and soft fruits of woody plants • Includes acorns, pecans, berries, and grapes • Seasonable • Counted on for supplement to diet

9. Nutrition • Mast is usually important in colder months • Used as an energy source • Acorns • High in fats and carbohydrates • Low in protein • Corn • Attractant • Energy source

10. Supplemental Feeding • An attempt to supplement the quality and perhaps the quantity of available native forages • Shouldn’t be intended to be replace native forage • Popular with hunters and land owners

11. Basic Components • Protein • Energy • Phosphorous • Calcium

12. Basic Components • Even in well managed herds, some component may be the limiting factor in reaching potential • Supplemental feeding helps reduce the negative impact of limiting factors • Population control • Habitat management

13. Supplementing • Feeding • Food plots • Mineral supplements

14. Feeds • Feed requirements are different than those of other animals • Corn • High in energy • Low in protein (7-9%) • Low in certain amino acids • Useful when carbohydrates and fat are needed • Consumed late fall and winter

15. Feeds • Pellet Feeds • High in protein (16%+) • 2:1 calcium: phosphorus ratio • Essential vitamins and other nutrients • Carbohydrates and fats are added to supply energy • Pellets don't stand up to weather • Feeders • Should provide dry storage • Should not limit access – especially to bucks • Reduce possibility of spoilage or pest problems

16. Food Plots • Plant species should match climate and soil • Adjust soil for pH and nutrients (NPK) • There is no one single plant variety for every situation or climate • Avoid • Varieties claimed to grow in all conditions • Varieties promising to solve all deer nutritional problems

17. Choice of Plant Species • Choose plants and plant them based on their best growing season potential • Determine what season is most critical for nutritional stress • Make sure feed provides correct nutrients when needed • 16% protein • 2:1 Ca: P ratio

18. Planning of Food Plots • Cost consideration • Monitor cost of product • Competition with native vegetation • Cost of controlling undesirable vegetation

19. Plantings • Cereal grains and legumes can be combined • Legumes such as alfalfa should be planted in areas where adequate water is available • Cereal grains and clovers have less chance of winter kill • Summer Plantings • High yield potential • Highly nutritious • In dry weather they do not produce vegetative growth because they are usually eaten quickly

20. Plantings • Peas • In favorable years plants mature and then deer consume entire plants rapidly • Usually a short-term feed • Summer clovers and legumes • Type depends on geographic region • Alyce clover, sweet clover, and red clover are good choices

21. Planting • Divide food plot in half • Half cool season • Half warm season • Include a year-round supplemental food • Plant a small plot test to assess varieties and management • Always soil test

22. Mineral Supplementation • Large quantities of salt are not healthy for deer • Critical supplements are calcium and phosphorous • Deer are not likely to lick mineral blocks • More likely to lick loose mineral off the ground

23. Presentation by: Craig Wisehart, Justin Smith, John Loven, Robert Brown